|
Front Page: Your Weekly News & Updates
|
Nonpoint source mini-grant wrap-up, Ag Progress Days, poster contest, news from Lebanon, Berks, and Lycoming Conservation Districts, and news from NRCS.
|
Thirty Projects Completed through Nonpoint Source Pollution Mini-grant Program
In the 2016-17 Nonpoint Source Pollution mini-grant round, 30 projects were completed by 25 conservation districts, reaching over 3,305 adults.
The projects included stormwater management, agricultural workshops, a safe disposal of medications campaign, municipal workshops, golf course outreach, and more! Ninety-three workshops and 23 field days were conducted during this mini-grant round.
Financial and other support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Photo caption: Juniata County Conservation District (JCCD) installed riparian buffer signs as part of their Fayette Area Lion's Den Streamside Buffer and Rain Garden NPS Pollution Prevention Educational mini-grant project. Photo provided by JCCD.
|
Ag Progress Days 2017: Volunteers Needed
Please consider volunteering for the conservation district exhibit at Penn State's Ag Progress Days, August 15-17, 2017.
About 60% of the 45,000 expected to attend are actively engaged in agriculture or related activities. With so many farming families from across Pennsylvania at this event, it's a great opportunity to call attention to the work and programs done at the districts.
Volunteers are needed for the shifts listed below. Send your name and contact information to
[email protected] or call 717-238-7223 with questions or to schedule your shift.
Tuesday Aug. 15: 9:00 am - 1:00 pm (1 volunteer needed)
Tuesday Aug. 15: 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm (2 volunteers needed)
Wednesday Aug. 16: 9:00 am - 1:00 pm (2 volunteers needed)
Wednesday Aug. 16: 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm (2 volunteers needed)
Wednesday Aug. 16: 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm (2 volunteers needed)
Thursday Aug. 17: 9:00 am - 1:00 pm (2 volunteers needed)
A final volunteer schedule, parking passes, and other show information will be sent to volunteers before the event. For more information on Ag Progress Days go to their website at
http://agsci.psu.edu/apd.
|
Poster Contest Deadline Fast Approaching
The submission deadline for the 2017 National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Poster Contest is June 30. The theme this year is "Healthy Soils are Full of Life!" Posters must be submitted to PACD via email to [email protected]. Click
here for more information.
|
Lebanon County Conservation District Holds Legislative Roundtable
On June 9, 2017, PACD Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh traveled to Lebanon County for a legislative event. The Lebanon County Conservation District (LCCD) held an informative Legislative Roundtable with Representatives Diamond and Ryan, Commissioners Ames and Litz, and staff from the offices of Congressman Dent, Congressman Costello, and Representative Helm in attendance.
Topics discussed included the state budget, agricultural land preservation, and the Chesapeake Bay Reboot. Representatives Diamond and Ryan talked about the status of the State Budget and Brenda Shambaughemphasized the importance of not cutting spending for agricultural and DEP line items that impact conservation districts such as Lebanon.
Photo caption: Lebanon County Commissioner JoEllen Litz, District Manager Lynette Gelsinger, Representative Frank Ryan, Representative Russ Diamond, Teresa Leitner (from Representative Sue Helm's Office), Randall Leisure LCCD Board Chairman, Kori Walter (from Congressman Costello's office), Brian Craig (from Congressman Dent's office), Lebanon County Commissioner Bill Ames, PACD Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh.
|
Berks County Conservation District Holds Paint the Rain Contest
The Berks County Conservation District held its second Paint the Rain School Competition. The Berks Catholic High School's Environmental Class took first place. The formal recognition event will be held October 23, 2017, at the Berks County Conservation District/Farm Service Agency Annual Awards and Scholarship Banquet.
The first place team won a $100 gift card and a certificate of recognition from the Berks County Commissioners.
Following the contest, the rain barrels were auctioned off and the proceeds went to the Berks County Conservation District Scholarship Fund, which supports students interested in majoring in environmental education in college.
Photo caption: Pictured is the winning rain barrel created by the Berks Catholic High School's Environmental Class.
|
Lycoming County Conservation District's Urban Agriculture Project Highlighted
The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) awarded Lycoming County Conservation District with an Urban Agriculture Conservation grant. NACD recently highlighted the project in their e-newsletter.
From the article:
"The Lycoming County Conservation District is partnering with existing gardening initiatives in the area to identify overlooked best management practices, address nutrition and food safety issues, and provide conservation demonstrations as part of their "Urban Agriculture for Healthier Families and Homes Program" - or "FreshFoodLyco" for short."
Photo used with permission from NACD.
|
NRCS Announces CIG Award Recipient
PA Natural Resources Conservation Service has announced the award of $415,000 to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to pilot a cost-effective approach for municipalities to meet stormwater requirements while transferring implementation risks from local governments to investors.
The PA Offset Partnerships project is one of 33 projects selected nationwide through USDA's competitive Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program, which helps develop the tools, technologies, and strategies to support next-generation conservation efforts on working lands and develop market-based solutions to resource challenges. Using a Pay for Success approach, the project will be the first ever to attempt to attract new streams of capital to implement conservation practices on agricultural lands in York and Lancaster Counties.
|
Conservation Districts in the News
|
|
Upcoming Events
July 12-13, 2017
Red Lion Hotel Harrisburg Hershey, Harrisburg, PA
September 26, 2017
Red Lion Hotel Harrisburg Hershey, Harrisburg, PA
|
|
